Replacement
by Ruthibobs
Summary: Alternate Ending for S4E4. Rated T for character Death. 2-parter.
1. Memories

**OK, this is something I had the idea for on Saturday, after watching the episode. This chapter is written a bit weird, as it's supposed to be memories. Each different bit is the memory of that person.**

**Disclaimer: I own the story line for the last two and a half memories. The beginning follows the episode.**  
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Becker**

_Bumping into the cupboard. Unable to believe it as the pan fell, the chain reaction starting, sounding incredibly loud in the otherwise quiet room. Reacting instantly, ready to shoot as the creatures wake. Shooting. The creatures collapsing when hit. Opening the door. Shooting one last time before running through._

_Listening to the others on the radio. Hoping they get the boys out in time. Thinking that he's failed enough times without it happening again. Poking his head round the corner, seeing the stools dislodging and falling off the tables. There must be more._

_Swallowing quickly, praying it's only one. Jumping onto the nearest table, moving quickly, gun pointing down, ready. Finally getting a clear shot. Firing twice, the squeal of the creature fading away in the silence._

_Moving across more tables, reaching the counter. Looking down at the mass of creatures lying there. Feeling fear creeping up. No! Determined that wasn't going to happen._

"_Jess, we need backup. This place is crawling with them."_

_Backing slowly along the table, keeping a close eye on the creatures. Bending slightly for a closer look. Straightening, hearing a noise from behind, turning. Seeing a creature leap, roaring._

**Matt**

"_Becker?"_

_No reply. Hurrying along the corridor, hearing a roar, pausing._

"_Becker!"_

_Entering the dining room, shooting at creatures running from the kitchen. Running along the room, still shooting, looking round for Becker. But there's no sign of anyone apart from the creatures._

_Fearing the worst._

_Climbing onto a table, running along. Jumping onto the next table, checking round. Stopping suddenly, seeing the number of creatures curled round next to the table. Turning, moving off as quietly as possible._

"_Becker?"_

_Hearing a noise from the kitchen, turning to investigate. Running backwards, still checking for more creatures. Turning, climbing over the counter into the kitchen. Looking round. Saying Becker's name again._

_Hearing a faint voice saying "Here" three times, and an arm appearing from behind the next counter. Spinning round to deal with the creatures appearing through the gap to the left. Shooting them. Can't believe how many there are. Bending down, helping Becker up, shooting with him at the creatures leaping at them. Hurrying off as quickly as Becker can manage. He's limping, but still shooting accurately._

_Making a decision._

"_There's too many, let's go in here."_

_Taking Becker into a store cupboard with a sliding door. Letting him slide to the ground._

"_Let me see."_

_Checking his leg, seeing the blood. Becker saying that the poison's spreading. Pulling off your belt, watching Becker gasping with pain._

"_I've just got to tie it up."_

_Becker asking how long he's got. Looking up at his face._

"_How does twenty seconds sound?"_

_Being told it's not the greatest news he's heard lately._

"_Right, well, I'll give you thirty."_

_Fastening the belt tightly round his leg. Becker groaning._

_Telling him what's to be done._

"_I've got to pipe the wound, stop the venom spreading. There's got to be salt in here somewhere."_

_Checking the shelves desperately, finding nothing. Asking Jess if she can see the kitchen, if it's clear. Being told the camera's on the blink. Telling them "Give me two seconds." Opening the door and running out._

**Becker**

_Lying there, scared, feeling the life slipping away._

"_Matt?"_

_No reply. Eyes closing, trying to ignore the feeling of the venom spreading._

"_Matt."_

_Weak voice, gasping for breath. Breathing Matt's name one last time. Nearly giving up._

**Matt**

_Forcing the door back shut. Shining the torch at Becker, seeing him move slightly. Ripping his trousers around the wound, clenching torch in teeth. Grabbing the salt, opening it. Pouring lots onto the wound, Becker crying out, gritting his teeth. Both pressing hands down on it. Shining torch into his eyes._

"_Becker? Come on man, wake up!"_

_Watching his head slumping forwards._

"_Stay with me."_

_Grabbing his jacket, shaking him. Breathing a sigh of relief as he lifts a hand, rubbing at his face._

"_Let's get going."_

_Helping him up, opening the door and hurrying out, shooting again. Leaning Becker against a wall, feeling him slipping down. Crouching next to him as he reaches the floor. Praying something will happen as the creatures are getting closer. Watching some bombs falling to the floor, letting out smoke. Coughing and choking, the smoke reaching you. _

**Connor**

_Walking through the smoke, Necker around mouth. Looking carefully for Becker and Matt, the two boys alongside. Only seeing creatures._

_Pulling down the Necker, relaxing. Should be safe._

_Spinning round, shooting as a creature flings itself over a counter._

_Hearing a groan, moving to where Matt's lying on the ground, Becker leaning on the wall next to him. Crouching, dropping the gun, ignoring Matt. Placing fingers at Becker's neck. Hearing Jess say "Connor, is Becker going to be OK?" Hearing the worry and strain in her voice, feeling it. Looking round, eyes filling with panic. Whispering "Come on." Praying hard._

_Tears starting to fall, worst fears realised._

"_He's not breathing."_

_Saying it so quiet no-one heard._

_Except Matt._

_Crying hard, watching Matt start CPR. Unable to do anything, feeling useless. _

"_Get us medics, now!" Matt's shouting._

_Can't speak, just sitting there staring at a friend. Praying it's a mistake, that he'll wake up._

_Knowing he won't._

_Knowing it's too late._

**Jess**

_Refusing to believe it. Knowing inside that it must be true. Starting to cry._

_Standing, running through the ARC. Bumping into Abby and Lester, ignoring their confused looks and questions. Entering the locker room, locking the door. Going to his locker. Curling up on the bench in front of it, weeping. Wishing he'd known everything. Wishing he'd walk through the door, alive and healthy. Laughing at a joke, smiling, living, breathing, walking. Doing all the things he'd never do again._

_Whispering. "It's not fair."_

_Shouting this time. "It's not fair!"_

_Closing eyes, pretending he's there. Dreaming of stuff that will never happen. Holding his hand, kissing him, going out on a date._

_Standing, picking something up from in front of his locker. Going back, lying down again. Falling asleep, hugging his T-shirt._

**Abby**

_Moving to the ADD, picking up a headset. Hearing Matt say they're coming back. Thinking, taking in Jess's face, the sorrow in Matt's voice. Putting two and two together, working it all out._

_Running to the vehicle bay, pacing, waiting for them to arrive. Watching the cars pulling in. Matt climbing out first, Connor following. Connor's white, eyes puffy. Hugging him, letting the tears out. Asking where he is. Matt saying he's in the ambulance._

_Going back upstairs, clinging to Connor. Listening as Matt reports to Lester and Philip. Crying all over again, hearing it is bringing a worse pain than before._

_Matt saying "He's being taken to the Morgue."_

_Lester's face paling. He's blinking rapidly, as if getting rid of tears. Telling us all that he'll arrange a funeral for the following week. That he's sorry it happened._

_Philip adding his condolences, then walking away._

_Tugging Connor's hand, leading him away to a seat. Cuddling up to him, crying together and comforting each other._

_Remembering the last old team member, Captain Becker.__

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_**Please don't kill me. I don't like this scenario any more than you probably do. It's made up. I'd normally never kill Becker off. Please review and tell me what you think as I've never tried writing anything like this before.**

**Next chapter will be up soon. It should only be a short one, to just conclude it.**

**Mx**


	2. Next Day

**OK, thanks for all the reviews. I know it's sad and a shock, but that's partly why I wrote it. If it wasn't so shocking, it wouldn't be the same.**

**In reply to the review off _fuck you ()_, I know I can't kill Becker, I feel the same. Just give this next chapter a chance. It just might get better.**

**Hope you all like this better than the last chapter. The tense is different, moving now into normal third person. The other chapter's tense is only used for memories and dreams.**

**The name in brackets is the person who that section is concentrating on, who we're following round for that little bit.**

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**At the ARC (Lester)**

_Capt. E. Mattison._

Lester stared at the screen blindly, before sighing. Today was a day for memories, not decisions.

He glanced down at his watch. Standing, he walked out of his office.

"There's a list of three on my desk," he told the receptionist. "Send that to the Minister. I don't really want this decision." He almost sounded human for a moment.

"And be snappy about it," he said, returning to his usual self again.

Leaning on the railing, looking out over the ARC, he sighed again.

Today was going to be difficult.

**At Home (Abby)**

"Jess!"

Running through the flat, Abby searched for her friend. As soon as she entered Jess's room she saw her, sitting on the floor, resting her chin on her knees. Walking over, she sat beside her and hugged her. She was shaking, her make-up ruined by tears.

"Shush," Abby whispered, as if she were with her animals. "It'll be OK. He wouldn't want you to cry like this."

"I can't do it." Jess's voice was faltering. "I can't go."

Abby felt for her. She knew how she must be feeling, remembering Stephen's death only a year ago.

"You have to," she said quietly. "What if there's an anomaly? We need you."

"You can cope without me. I can't face everyone. Not today."

"Look, if you aren't there, who's going to tell us where to go? The only other person who can do that job is Connor, and he's needed on the team now that Becker's not there." Jess gave a loud sob at this. "You have to go in," Abby told her firmly. "If you don't, people could die. That's what Becker hated most. He felt he'd failed if one person died, no matter how many lives he'd saved that day."

Jess sniffed before replying. "If there's an anomaly," she started, pausing for a few seconds, "Ring me."

"Sure thing, Jess," she said. "I've got to go. If you want a lift anywhere, just ring."

Turning, she left the flat. Grabbing her phone on the way, she rang Matt.

"She says she'll come in if there's an anomaly."

"Right. If she takes too long, we'll set up a false alarm. Connor can set one up in a matter of seconds."

"Give her a chance," she told him. "She's hurting."

Putting the phone down, she tucked it back in her pocket and set off.

**At the ARC (Matt)**

"Connor, can you take over at the detector for the time being? Jess can't come in just yet."

"Course," Connor sniffed, wiping his eyes.

Matt watched him. _'Poor kid,'_ he thought. _'He really misses him.'_

Just then, his phone rang. Fishing it out of his jacket, he glanced at the number. He didn't recognise it.

"Hello, Matt Anderson speaking."

"Mr. Anderson, I believe you know a Capt. Becker who was brought in last night."

"That's right, I do," Matt replied. "Why?"

"I was wondering if you could come down to the hospital. We need to talk."

"OK then." Sliding the phone closed, he considered it for a moment, before chucking it back into his jacket. "I'm going to the hospital," he called over to Connor. "I'll be back as soon as I can."

"Sure," came the reply, Connor already engrossed in his work.

**At Home (Jess)**

Hearing the phone ringing, Jess quickly turned down the music and walked over to answer it.

"Yes?"

"Look, can you come in? Matt's gone to the hospital, Abby's with the animals and Lester wants to talk to the staff. He seems pleased, so it's probably not a raise, but he says it's very important. Are you OK coming in?" Connor sounded worried and she felt sorry for him. He'd known Becker for far longer than she had, yet he was brave enough to get on with his job.

"I'll be twenty minutes." Her voice was quiet, much quieter than her normal self. Though if anyone was normal today, she'd be surprised.

**At the ARC (Jess)**

Walking in, Jess noticed the silence. No-one was talking, but avoiding eye contact. Becker had been popular at the ARC, with both old and new staff, and would be sorely missed.

When she reached the main room, she stood in the doorway and watched Connor for a minute. Typing away frantically, he was making a new program of some kind.

"Ah, Jess, how wonderful of you to decide to join us," Lester commented as she entered. He did, however, smile at her slightly, almost encouraging her.

"Connor said you wanted a team meeting," she said enquiringly.

"Ah yes. Abby and Matt should be here in a moment."

Sitting down, she waited, her thoughts drifting, as ever, to Becker.

**At the ARC (the guy in the shadows of the side doorway)**

"All present? Wonderful. I can finally begin, instead of wasting my time waiting for you."

The man in the doorway smiled. Some things never changed. He'd been warned about Lester just over a year ago, and he was certainly living up to it.

"As you all know, we lost a good man, and a friend, yesterday." Lester sounded sombre, an unusual tone for a man where sarcasm was second nature. "The Minister has insisted that he is replaced instantly, for your own protection."

"But it hasn't even been the funeral yet!" Connor protested.

"It was yesterday," Abby said quietly. "Surely this is too soon. In a couple of weeks maybe, but not right now. We're not ready for a new team member yet."

Matt cleared his throat. "I happen to agree with Lester on this one," he said.

The man rolled his eyes.

"The replacement is perfect for the job, and we're fairly sure that everyone will get on very well. Any arguments?"

"Plenty, mate," Connor replied. "Don't we get a say in this? Even if we do get along with this guy, it won't be straight away. Give us some time to adjust to the situation, then dump us with soldier boy."

The man laughed, causing everyone bar Matt and Lester to glance in his direction.

"Who was that?" Jess asked nervously.

"The new member," Matt replied. Walking over, he led the man towards them. "This is the replacement. Can I introduce Captain Becker?" He smiled broadly at them.

Becker smiled at them all. He was limping and was very pale, but otherwise OK.

Jess gasped, then threw herself at him, hugging him hard.

He winced, his hand flickering down to his leg, before hugging her back.

"But... What happened?" Connor asked incredulously. Him and Abby were staring at the soldier like he was a ghost.

"What happened?" Becker replied, not letting go of Jess. "You are shit at taking a pulse. Seriously."

"Sorry guys," Connor muttered, looking sheepish.

"Nah, he's joking," Matt interrupted. "The poison stopped all his organs momentarily."

"I literally died," Becker continued. "But it was a temporary thing, it seems. My heart stopped, but then started again soon after. Unfortunately, I'd already been declared dead and taken to the Morgue. It was only this morning, when I could finally move, the truth was discovered."

"I was called to the hospital, and brought Becker back just in time to stop a replacement being chosen," Matt finished.

"And Connor? Never call me 'soldier boy' again," Becker warned. "That's Danny's name."

"Yes, well, if that's everything, I have a job to do," Lester said dryly, turning to leave.

"That's everything. Except this," Becker whispered. Bending slightly, he kissed Jess on the lips faintly, as if fearing rejection. Closing her eyes, she glowed with happiness.

"I love you," she murmured, snuggling deeper into his chest. He smiled.

Life might not be perfect, but it was good enough for him.

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**So. I didn't kill him after all. Like I could kill him and not write a get-out clause. He's too awesome to do that. :)**

**Hope you liked it.**

**Mx**


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